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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bulb · staff · march · hide · club · pitcher · object · track

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. march — music
  3. club — a group
  4. bulb — for light
  5. staff — a stick
  6. track — to keep track
  7. march — the month
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. object — to protest
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. track — a path
  13. object — a thing
  14. staff — employees
  15. object — an aim
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. club — for golf
  18. staff — employees
  19. march — the month
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. track — a song
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. bulb — for light

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com